AP Automation at Fossil How Fossil implemented Opentext Vendor Invoice Management Wim Schalken
Agenda INTRODUCTION LANDSCAPE PROJECT PROCESS LESSONS LEARNED
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The Fossil Portfolio
Accounts Payable Facts Multiple AP departments across the world Dallas 8 AP clerks Approximately 61,200 invoices annually (25% PO based) Shared Service Center Germany 8 AP clerks Approximately 80,000 invoices annually (40% PO based) All invoices require ATC approval through very manual process Limited use of Purchase Orders
SAP System Landscape SAP AFS SAP Retail SCM BW CRM GRC SolMan PI
System Landscape AP SAP (AFS) Navision
Motivation to do Project PROJECT OBJECTIVE The objective of the Vendor Invoice Management (aka AP Automation) implementation is to provide a solution that will streamline the Accounts Payable process and have invoices routed and approved electronically through the correct Authority To Commit (ATC) structure using Workflow.
Optimizing AP with OpenText Inbox (incoming mail / fax) Invoice Recognition Invoice Verification Collaboration & Invoice Monitoring Completion Payment Vendor Portal PREPARE TRANSFORM Prüfung und VERIFY AND COMPLETE Vervollständigung EXCEPTION HANDLING APPROVE PAY Scanning OCR Trigger workflows Comment Post invoices E-mail and Fax int. Archiving UMWANDLUNG Validation Automated reconciliation and posting EDI Open Text Archiving for SAP Solutions* OCR Option for SAP Invoice Management SAP Invoice Management ERP (FI/AP)
Scope Products: SAP Invoice Management by OpenText (VIM) SAP Document Access by OpenText SAP Invoice Capture Center by OpenText (incl OCR) SAP Workflow Note: Live on SAP Digital Asset Management by OpenText Locations: North America EMEA Scope: PO Invoice with Exception Reasons Non-PO Invoice with Exception Reasons Invoice Approvals via Mobility, SAP Portal and SAP GUI Product Delivered VIM Reporting and Analytics
Expected Benefits Systematic registration that ATC took place Time savings Less time investigating Automatic escalation in case of pending approvals More efficient process to enter invoices in SAP Better visibility Instant visibility over invoices received pending approval Faster payment of invoices Reduction in paper usage
Project Team Project sponsor Fossil PM Optima PM Steering committee Basis Security FICO MM HR Engagement Manager Process Architect Technical Architect VIM consultant Technical consultant AP Users Internal Audit Architect Change Mgt
Project Timeline Dec 13 Jan 14 Feb 14 Mar 14 Apr 14 May 14 Jun 14 Jul 14 Aug 14 Sep 14 Global blueprinting Build Test Training US Go live and hypercare US (Continue) Test EMEA Vacation Training EMEA Go live and hypercare EMEA
SAP Process PREVIOUS PROCESS Invoice ATC Purchase Order Optional Goods receipt or Service ackn Optional Invoice posted Payment
SAP Process WITH OPENTEXT VENDOR INVOICE MANAGEMENT (VIM) Invoice capture, electronic storage and approval will be within SAP Purchase Order Optional Goods receipt or Service ackn Optional Invoice ATC Invoice posted Payment
VIM Approval Process Refer Refer REFER Provide information REFER Provide information STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 AP receives invoice and enters in SAP Requestor / coder Approve ATC Approver Approve Reject Reject
Processing Inbound Invoices Scanning Validation DP Document + Image Archiving
VIM Processing Options STEP 1 PO invoice exceptions by PO Creator or Requestor STEP 2 STEP 3 AP receives invoice and enters in SAP Requestor / coder ATC Approver SAP PORTAL MOBILE
Approval through SAP GUI
Approval through Portal STEP 1 AP receives invoice and enters in SAP STEP 2 Requestor / coder STEP 3 ATC Approver SAP PORTAL MOBILE
Approval through Mobile device The Ace STEP 2 Requestor / coder Adventures
Use of HR data for ATC HOW WILL ORGANIZATION PLAN BE USED 1. To determine ATC level 2. For reporting structure to find responsible approvers Note: Some invoices will be routed manually instead of using HR org structure
Change Management Communication plan for end users Classroom training AP department Online training and optional town hall sessions for approvers Quick Reference Card on go live date 800 approvers to date...and more expected!
Lessons Learned Biggest challenge is not the system, but the processes Would have preferred more support to change business processes and synchronize processes among regions Large number of end users, because of the approvals Support of the tool requires new knowledge (existing SAP support can be trained) Lots of questions around how to code invoices Decision to use existing HR data caused some issues but forced us to clean up data Long delay EMEA go live because of vacation caused some redundant work
Current Status As of today 20,385 invoices have gone through VIM of which 16,278 have been posted System provides immediate benefit of visibility over AP processes VIM provides insights into process improvements Biggest benefits so far: Complete visibility Reduction in paper usage Certain invoices do have much shorter lead time Systematic approvals Further analysis taking place for better leveraging of system
Questions?